


When it comes to be a man, you have to make some decisions, boy.

by EmberTiger98



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Dumbo (2019)
Genre: Drama, Emotional Hurt, Family Drama, Father-Son Relationship, Growing Up, Life Lessons, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 21:34:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21435055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberTiger98/pseuds/EmberTiger98
Summary: A minific about one of my favourite characters from on of my favourite movies (Dumbo 2019). A coming of age story where a young Holt has to make a very hard decision...
Relationships: Holt Farrier| Jeremiah "Jerry" Farrier
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	When it comes to be a man, you have to make some decisions, boy.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey readers, this is my very first fanfic I've ever wrote, so I really hope you like it. English is not my first language so forgive me if I have any errors. I love this movie and it's characters and more of this may come, enjoy!

One day, when Holt was 9 years old his dad called him from the barn they had at their house, Holt rushed to it and opened the door only to find his dad in front of the horse pen, staring with a sorrowful face what was inside of it. Holt walked towards his father Jerry and once he was in front of the pen as well, he turned his head around watching at the other side of the fence, Big Grey, Jerry’s old stallion laying on the ground, breathing sharply, consumed by the pain he was having due to an inffection he cought days ago. His condition was already serious and irreversible.

“It’s time boy” Jerry said dryly, looking over his right shoulder to his son. For Holt, watching Big Grey in this state was painful and sad, so he asked unsure, “He-he is gonna t-to recover, r-right pop? Big Grey was always strong…he will be alright”. Jerry couldn’t blame his child’s innocence, however he _had_ to teach the young Farrier what it has to be done in a situation like this, the kid was just 9, but not forever.

“You knew my boy, that this day would come sooner or later…but now, it will be _you_ who takes the reins” Jerry said and he turned and walked to one of the corners of the barn to grab something that Holt couldn’t see clearly at first. When Jerry turned again from where he was, in his hands there was a shotgun, preapered and charged. Holt gasped, with his eyes as wide as possible.

“No! No pop! He’s your horse, please don’t do it!” Holt implored.

“Do you want Big Grey sufferin’ instead? C’mon boy, look at him, theres’ no cure for this. The stallion lived his life happy and worthily now he’s too old and sick. He… was a good horse I know…” he paused for a moment looking at Big Grey “…I know this is hard, I’ll miss him too, but… is better to end up his misery in one shot, than watching him fightin’ a battle which he’ll never win. Put yourself on the horse’s place boy, you know this is the right thing to do”.

Holt lowered his head mournfully and then looked at his father, “Ok, dad” he made his best for not to cry in front of his father, with his eyes looking down again.

“Good” Jerry said firmly. Suddenly, as soon as Holt oppened his eyes, he saw the shotgun below his face, being held by his father’s hands in front of him.“As I said before son, it is _your_ time to take the reins, just a clean shot in the head and it will be over.”

Holt stood frozen, he looked at his father shivering, his hands trembling, unable to grab the gun, “B-b-but, I-I cant-t- do-do it-”.

“Of course you can lad” Jerry interrupted him, “One shot, just like we’ve been practicing last Winter, you know how to pull the trigger”.

“B-but with cans and bottles! I’ve never s-shot…an animal…and…_alive_” Holt finished the last word with great dispair. “No, no I can’t do it, please poppa, don’t make me do it” Holt sniffed.

Jerry placed the gun on his son’s arms, ignoring his pleas. As hard it was for him forcing his own child to shot his favourite animal, Jerry knew that Holt had to face hardships one day, he wanted him to be ready and safe. Holt had the shotgun in position, still trembling, trying to proccess everything that was going to happen, while his father gave him indications. Jerry opened the fence door of the horse pen giving Holt all the space he need it.

Holt rested his right cheek on the shotgun, shivering , aiming at the animal and his right index finger on the trigger. His dad returned by his side with his hands behind his back. “Ready, son?” Jerry stated, expecting any kind of reaction, besides fear, from his kid.

Holt took some very deep breaths trying to hold his burning tears, he puffed his chest, reincorporated his back and responded: “Yes dad”.

“Shot!” Jerry barked, like a general at a battlefield.

However, Holt couldn’t do it, how could he? He stood there, aiming at the horse but never shoot. He was so torn at that moment, on the one hand, he knew that his father was right, the stallion was suffering, he was seeing him there, humming from the pain, making awefull noises, if they killed him in only just one second, would be the most honorable thing Holt could do.

But on the other hand, he’s not a _murderer_, he never thought of taking someone or something’s life away. This was an animal in pain, but he grew up with horses his entire life, and just the thought of killing one, even if it was sick, was…so…tragic.

Holt wanted to make his poppa proud of him, showing him he is not a coward. But he was there, trembling and his finger twiching on the trigger. He started to sob.

“C’mon Holt,” Jerry said slightly impatient, his moustache started twiching, “Do it boy, do it! Do it for Big Gray! Just one shot Holt, c’mon!!!” Jerry screamed.

Holt took his final breath, tears already in his face, the pressure was killing him, and then…with a long sigh… he abruptly lowered the gun to the ground. He bowed his face, letting his long black hair that reached his shoulders covering it. He tried to supress his tears, but it was late, he thought he let down his dad, he just couldn’t do it.

“I’m sorry pop…” Holt said, cleaning his tears with his wrist, suddenly he dropped the shotgun to the floor, “…but, I can’t do it…” he said while he was quietly sniffling.

“It’s ok lad, it’s ok” Jerry sighed patting his son’s left shoulder. He looked at him, trying to suppress sadness as well. Then he knelt down and grabbed the shotgun across the kid, got up and told Holt, “Holt, look at the horse.”

Holt obeyed, and stared at Big Grey with embarassment for not doing the job, not predicting that 5 seconds later a big blood explosion at the stallion’s head appeared staining the wall, accompanied with a deafening sound, killing him in one instant. Holt let out a mute gasp and jumped, his horrorified eyes stayed open like he saw Hell itself. He was in complete state of shock, he couldn’t even speak, he could only sob.

Mr. Farrier rested the weapon on a wood and knelt in front of his son, with his right hand cupping the cheek of the sobbing boy, and then spoke to him:

“Listen boy, when it comes to be a man, you have to make some desicions, desicions which will define you. Even if those desicions hurt you and all the people who loves you, you have to still doin’ it no matter what. You know why? ‘Cause thats what growin’ up is about. Yes, some choices are hard to make Holt, but I know, some day, when youll have to pull the trigger in this situation, it will be _always_ for the right thing. Never, _ever_, loose sight of what is correct and important. But y’all get it better when you get older. Do you understand, lad?”

Holt, still dizzy about what happened, nodded his head in agreement.

“Good” Jerry said raincorporating himslf from the floor. “Now wip away those tears lad, they wont’ help you at all, okay?”

Holt let out a weak response, ”…yes”.

Before he could walk away from his son to reach the door he soon turned around and asked what he answered, “What was that?”

“**YESSIR**!!!” Holt screamed, his back facing his dad. Jerry Farrier got a little surprised by the intencity of his response but he didn’t dare to scream back at him, it has been a lot for Holt for one day.

“Good… I’ll call my friends to help me with the body, and bury the animal somewhere decent, youll comin’ with us…”

And with that Mr Farrier left, closing the door leaving Holt proccessing everything that has transcurred at their barn on that afternoon. Sure that he was alone now, he took a final glance a the corpse of Big Grey and started to cry, not wipping away his tears.


End file.
